Let's Get Going! Cosigner Portal

A cosigner will only receive access to the portal after the applicant has submitted their application, listing their designated cosigner along with their contact information. After this, the cosigner will receive a confirmation email and should follow the steps accordingly.

Getting Started

Required Docs

Interview Help

All loan recipients must have at least one valid cosigner, who must also submit JELF's cosigner form and submit relevant documentation.

What constitutes a cosigner?

A cosigner is typically a parent, legal guardian or relative.

Cosigners must reside in the U.S

Cosigners are required to provide current taxes, W-2s, and picture ID.

Spouses are not qualified cosigners.

In some cases, a second cosigner may be required.

New JELF Cosigners

If you are a new cosigner this year, you must wait until the applicant's loan application has been completely submitted to JELF. Once applicant has submitted, you will receive an email with instructions to register as that applicant's cosigner.

cosigner portal

Previous / Existing Cosigners

If you are a cosigner and need to update your account or upload documents, please access the application here.

access application

Required Application Docs

Your application is not complete until all documents are uploaded to the student or cosigner portal. The deadline to upload documents is June 15 for the full academic year and October 15 for January-August funding. Questions? Let us know.

Federal Taxes

Transcript, W-2, 1099 or Business Taxes

Driver's License, State ID or Passport

Acceptance Letter

Transcript

Financial Aid Award

Students will find their Financial Aid Award in their school's student portal. Please ensure that what is sent to JELF is the award for the academic year in which they are applying for a loan, not a previous year's award.

While each school’s award summary will look different, JELF needs the financial aid award that has been ACCEPTED, not just the award letter showing what the student has been offered.

Unless there is a specific exception that prevents the student from being able to accept these loans, JELF requires the acceptance of federal subsidized and unsubsidized loans in order to qualify for our interest-free loans. Exceptions may involve: visa status, school policy or reaching the maximum federal loan allocation.

These are the total federal loan amounts that students are offered for each academic year:

Freshman- $5500
Sophomore- $6500
Junior- $7500
Senior-$7500
Second Bachelor’s Degree - $12,500
Graduate Student – Minimum is $20,500

Each school’s award summary will look a little bit different. Here is a sample:

Cost of Attendance

A school's cost of attendance can be found in a student account, the school’s website or within the student's financial aid letter. This document should show the expected breakdown of costs such as tuition, dorm & board, fees, etc. If there are additional costs related to a student's program, students should explain this, including the amount and what the amount covers, in the JELF application.

Sample Cost of Attendance

FAFSA Submission Summary

The FAFSA Submission Summary (previously known as the Student Aid Report or SAR) summarizes the information a student submitted on their FAFSA and provides information about financial aid eligibility based on that information.

After a student's FAFSA form is submitted and processed, they will receive an email from FAFSA with instructions on how to access an online copy of their FAFSA Submission Summary. This will include the estimated eligibility for federal student loans, a Federal Pell Grant (if student qualifies for one), the Student Aid Index (SAI) and whether the student has been selected for verification. Being selected for verification happens at random and does not mean that a student has done anything wrong. Students will need to provide the documentation that is requested of them by a specific deadline to ensure that they can still get federal student aid.

Once a student's FAFSA form has been processed, they can get a copy of their FAFSA Submission Summary by logging in to FAFSA using their account username and password, navigating to your account Dashboard, selecting your processed FAFSA submission, and then selecting the “View FAFSA Submission Summary.” Students must then then save their FAFSA Submission Summary and upload it to the JELF student application through the portal.

Student's Taxes

Student's W2 or 1099

Driver's License, State ID or Passport

The JELF Interview

At JELF, we place great value on getting to know the “whole story," which is why we require both student and cosigner(s) interviews each year. Interviews are conducted by trained professionals, otherwise known as LJAs (Local JELF Administrators). Interviewers are not directly involved in the decision-making process.

JELF interviews help reviewers learn more about the applicant, their educational and career goals and financial needs. They also provide an opportunity for the applicant to convey any other relevant information which may not have been conveyed in the application.

Schedule

Prep

What to Expect

JELF Interview Questions

The following categories are a sample of topics and questions presented to both student and cosigner(s) during the interview.

getting to know applicant

the family

Now let's put together the family puzzle:

Who are applicant's parents (it is possible one is present during this interview!). Are both parents living? Are they married, remarried, single?
Are there any siblings? Older/Younger? Where are they now / what do they do?
Are any of the siblings receiving JELF loans (or were past recipients)? If siblings are in college or graduate school and NOT receiving JELF loans, why?
Are there any health issues in the immediate family that have contributed to stress over the years?
Are there any unusual or extenuating circumstances that may be relevant? (e.g. loss of family member, loss of home, accident, trauma, etc.)

financials

Financial questions, which are related to the applicant or family's financial situation, may be best answered by either applicant or cosigner. This is often based on whether the applicant is dependent or independent. In some cases, a parent cosigner may prefer to answer these questions privately, which JELF is glad to provide an opportunity for, and may ask the applicant to recuse themselves at that time.

How much is the family planning to contribute to the applicant's education?
Any medical circumstances contributing to the family's financial stress?
Any significant job loss that has contributed to family's financial situation?
Are the parents supporting anyone other than the dependents listed in application (e.g. elderly parents)?
Has there been a bankruptcy? Has there been any business loss?
Do parents currently (or will soon) pay for multiple children in school at the same time?
Any other debt that has not already been mentioned (e.g. student loans, mortgages, credit card, etc.)?

JELF eligibility

There are times where it may not be clear from the application whether a student meets all of the JELF eligibility requirements. In this case, the LJA may ask questions regarding:

Jewish identity
citizenship or immigration status
residency in JELF’s five-state region (FL, GA, SC, NC, VA, except metro DC) for at least 1 year prior to April 30 (or September 30) submission deadline
enrollment status as a full-time student in a U.S.-accredited institution
completion of FAFSA (Federal Application for Federal Student Aid) for upcoming school year.
readiness to accept any subsidized and/or unsubsidized federal loans (offered through FAFSA)
cosigner status
applicant's academic standing

Let's Get Going! Cosigner Portal

All loan recipients must have at least one valid cosigner, who must also submit JELF's cosigner form and submit relevant documentation.

What constitutes a cosigner?

A cosigner is typically a parent, legal guardian or relative.

Cosigners must reside in the U.S

Cosigners are required to provide current taxes, W-2s, and picture ID.

Spouses are not qualified cosigners.

In some cases, a second cosigner may be required.

New JELF Cosigners

Previous / Existing Cosigners

Required Application Docs

The JELF Interview

JELF Interview Questions

Central Office

General Inquiries

Want to ensure you don’t miss the chance to apply for our upcoming loan programs? Fill out the short form below to receive timely reminders and important updates about the application process. Stay ahead and be prepared with all the information you need.

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